National Unemployment Rate Hits 50 Year 27,000 Able-Bodied New Mexicans Without Dependents Remain on SNAP

(Albuquerque, NM) – The US unemployment rate just hit 50 year lows last week, but an estimated 27,000 Able-Bodied New Mexicans without Dependents Remain (ABAWDs) on the federal food stamp (SNAP) program.

New Mexico remains one of four states with full statewide waivers in place.

New Mexico’s current statewide unemployment is 5.1% — almost half of the 10% threshold set in the food stamp statute to trigger waivers. That’s one of the lowest unemployment rates in State history. Eddy County and Los Alamos County have unemployment rates of 3.2%, but are still waived.

NM has more than 27,000 ABAWDs on the program, per the state’s Employment & Training state plan.

According to federal data, 75% of ABAWDs in New Mexico do not work at all.

As Rio Grande Foundation president Paul Gessing points out, “Limited resources should be targeted at real problems like alleviating childhood hunger, not allowing able-bodied adults without children to avoid getting back to work. It is time for Gov. Lujan-Grisham to end this waiver so more New Mexicans can get back to work.